GTLAIS - Short stories
by SchadenFreude95
Summary: Shortstories about everyones favourite couple from Guidelines to Loving an Incognito Superhero
1. Family Relations Part 1

**Family Relations: Part 1**

* * *

Generally, Clark and I prefer to keep no secrets from each other. And when I say 'generally' I mean always. No secrets allowed.

Except when it comes to other heroes' secret identities. Obviously, he doesn't tell me those. Not that I don't know quite a few of them already. Being the unofficial-but-totally-official secretary of the League, I get to know shit like that. I have a 'trustworthy appearance', according to Martian Manhunter.

Maybe it's the whole married-to-Superman thing that tends to make me trustworthy in their eyes.

Clark tells me it is because I look so adorable and nice that people automatically trust me. But, you know, he's probably biased. Heck, the guy thought I looked beautiful when I was pregnant. And back then, I hadn't been a pretty sight. I'd been fat as a whale, my face was constantly blotchy, my hair was unkempt and my clothes the most unflattering they'd ever been. If he thought I looked beautiful then, well, then the guy is _obviously_ biased.

I flatter myself by assuming he hadn't simply been lying to keep me from crying. I was very emotional and weepy during my pregnancy.

 _ANYWAY,_ back on track.

We are talking about secrets.

So, Clark and I have this agreement that we don't keep things from each other intentionally. It's a good arrangement, not only because it ensures trust and that we won't end up building lie upon lie to cover for our first lie – the snow ball effect, as Clark calls it – but also that the two of us generally tend to stay away from situations we wouldn't want to have to explain to the other. Don't do anything bad and you've got nothing to lie about, right?

 _Wrong._

Clark is keeping something from me. Something big.

It started when he came back from Justice League stuff the day after independence day. He'd been really distracted and had gone to bed early, barely touching his dinner.

Which was.. odd. The man usually eats for two.

I asked him more than once what was wrong, but every time, he brushed me off, assuring me he was just tired.

So I let him go to bed, figuring he'd tell me when he was ready. Maybe he was worried over some mission.

He kissed me good night and thanked me for a wonderful dinner – which, again, he'd barely touched – and smoothed Lara's brown curls back before giving her a peck on the crown of her head, telling the giggling girl to behave while daddy slept.

The small girl's legs kicked at her high chair in delight, nearly breaking the plastic seat that was honestly too fragile for a half-kryptonian toddler. She proudly said "Dada!" in a loud, high pitched voice, which made Clark smirk at me because she still hadn't said 'mommy' yet.

I rolled my eyes and tried to coerce some more food into our highly energetic baby. Lara's flailing arms knocked the spoon from my hand, sending another wave of peas to the floor.

"C'mon Lara," I groaned right as Clark slipped from the room, "how many peas can you possibly justify getting on the floor?"

After having finished cleaning up the kitchen, I put the girl to sleep. It couldn't have been more than eight or nine PM, but I was exhausted, so I decided to go to bed myself.

Once I entered our bedroom, I could tell Clark was pretending to be asleep.

"So," I spoke up, making sure my voice was loud enough for his superhearing to catch even if he'd been asleep, meaning he couldn't pretend anymore. "Are you going to tell me what's up or do I have to call Batman?"

Slipping out of my jeans and switching my t-shirt for one of his – I'd reached the point where I really didn't sleep in anything else – I got into bed next to him, snuggling into his side when he pulled me closer with one arm.

He let out a sigh at my words. "Georgie, it's nothing. I'll.. explain later."

"Hm." I wasn't really pleased, but I wasn't going to push either. "You better." I answered before rolling onto my side and closing my eyes.

Days have gone by since, and he still wasn't telling me what is going on. I assume it hadn't been incredibly important, because pretty quickly, he started acting like himself again. Well, sometimes he still acts distracted and worried, but it is obvious he's doing his best to avoid that sort of behavior in front of me.

So after some time, I let it go. His weird behavior stopped, so I kind of forget about it.

Forget about it until I get a very unusual phone call one morning, that is.

It's a Wednesday, which is my day off. Clark's in the bathroom getting ready for work. Lara hasn't woken yet – the girl has a serious love for sleeping late, which, as her mom, I'm a big fan of – so I'm, just lazing around in bed.

I'm waiting for Clark to finish his shower so I can take a bath myself, figuring it won't do that I smell of sex when Diana comes over later today.

Anyway, lazing around in bed and feeling overall great. And then Clark's phone goes off.

"Clark, your phone's ringing." I call, even though I know he can hear it.

"Can you get it for me?" He asks.

Picking the phone up, I see that it's an encrypted number, meaning it's probably someone from the League.

Hitting the answer button, I feel a smirk capture my lips as I answer, rolling around in bed so I'm leaning on my elbows. "Hello, this is Georgia. My boy toy is currently unavailable, can I take a message?"

"Oh my god, Georgia." I hear Clark groan in resignation.

"Georgia." The person simply responds. If the gravelly voice isn't enough to clue me in, the unamused tone is.

"Heya, Bats!" I answer happily. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to _you._ " He answers. I instinctively frown, not missing how his tone is lowered, probably to make sure Clark can't hear him.

"Uh, okay. Shoot." I answer.

"When does Clark leave for work?" He asks, still in a low voice.

"Like half an hour." I hear the shower turn off and know the conversation will have to be cut short here, unless he wants Clark to hear. "Listen, he's coming in a second, so I have to go. I'll come to the Watchtower later today, okay? We can talk then."

There's a pause on the other end, and then; "Come as soon as you can. Don't tell Clark."

The call is ended and I let the phone fall from my grip and onto the bed beside me, already thinking hard. Batman wants to talk to me, without involving Clark. I have absolutely no idea what he wants to talk about, but I get the feeling it's pretty important. Batman and I don't talk that often, so for him to literally seek me out like this is a bit weird. And then telling me to keep Clark out of it intentionally? When he probably knows about the whole 'no secrets' thing?

Weird.

I lie down again and wrap my arms around my pillow.

Clark emerges from the bathroom a moment later, looking delicious with a towel around his hips and damp, tousled hair.

I instantly smile at him and let out a small whistle. "You see, it's because of behavior like that that I call you my 'boy toy'." I explain.

He rolls his eyes playfully at me before heading for our closet, switching the towel for a nice, three-piece suit.

"What did Batman want?" He asks as he pulls on the suit jacket and buttons it.

I try to think of an answer that's specific enough to be satisfactory, and yet vague enough to not be a lie.

"He needs me at the Watchtower." I simply answer. It wouldn't be the first time I'm called to go to 'work' at the Watchtower at such a short notice.

Clark pauses. "What about Lara?"

I shrug. "I'll take her with me. She's been before, you know."

"Alright." He slips on his glasses and smiles softly at me, his wife, still lying naked – though covered by blankets – in our bed, looking at ease and happy. He walks over and places a kiss on my bare shoulder. "I'll see you tonight."

"Have a nice day at work." I answer as he lets me pull his face down so I can kiss him on the mouth.

Clark has left the house twenty minutes later, right as I emerge from Lara's room, the small girl in my arms.

Today, she's wearing a blue, knee length, polka dotted dress my mom gave her this Christmas. Clark says I'm obsessed with buying cute dresses for our daughter, but, honestly, how can I not be when she looks so adorable in them? Her bouncy curls, shining blue eyes and constantly wide smile is the truly adorable thing, the dresses just add to her cuteness factor.

Her legs are whipping around beneath her in her eagerness to start the day. Out of habit, I do my best to avoid getting hit by the strong limbs. I'd gotten some vicious bruises due to my own carelessness before.

Having a superpowered baby comes with precautions. Lara is different than Jason, which have been obvious since the moment she was born. The mix of kryptonian and human genes in Jason has made him slightly frail, with a handful of diseases and random bursts of superpowers that he hasn't quite learned to control yet. Lara is.. well she's strong. She's healthy. She is showing great potential for powers. We're not sure what made the difference, if Clark and my DNA somehow fit better than his and Lois, or if it is a complete coincidence.

"Slow down, honey." I tell her. "Just a quick breakfast and then we're going, okay? Mommy promises."

Lara squeals happily and lets me place her in her high seat with no complaints.

Half an hour later, we're out of the house too, and heading for the nearest Zeta tube to the Watchtower. Once again, I begin wondering what Batman wants to talk to me about. I hope Clark isn't in any sort of trouble that he's been keeping from me. Then again, that would explain his weird behavior.

As soon as I land on the Zeta platform of the Watchtower, Lara starts kicking again, wanting to get out of my grip and down so she can explore.

I hoist her further up on my hip and tell her to settle down. She stops kicking for a moment, but the peace only lasts until she catches sight of 'Uncle Barry', because then she starts squirming again, adding loud, high pitched baby squeals to the mix.

The speedster notices us immediately – and given the way my daughter is currently shrieking with the force of a fog horn, I'm not exactly surprised – and he approaches us at superspeed, standing before me in a second.

"Lara!" He shouts, expectantly holding his arms out for the girl. She tries to reach him as well, and I quickly hand her over, watching with a fond smile as he tickles her stomach and coos at her.

"I thought you had the day off?" He asks me then, turning his attention away from the toddler currently trying to reach the small decorative wing on the side of his head.

I shrug. "Batman asked me to come. Has something he says he needs to talk to me about." I tell Barry, assuming Batman doesn't mind. He said 'don't tell Clark', not 'don't tell anyone'. "Can you watch Lara for me while I talk to him?" I ask next, knowing finding a babysitter at the Watchtower won't be a hard deal. Most of them adore her, and the rest find her interesting, if nothing else then from a scientific point of view or because of her father.

"Sure thing." Barry agrees readily. "I'll take her to the cafeteria. We'll see you later."

I nod and thank him, pausing to hand over her nursing bag and kiss Lara's temple before I head towards the main room.

Batman is there, as usual, pouring over his screens with a concentrated scowl on his face. Briefly, I find myself wondering if Robin joining that new young team of sidekicks – wait, they don't like to be called that – has made Batman more lonely. I shake the thought away, knowing that, if he wants company, he can easily seek it out. He is part of a large team, and knows several members quite well. The guy likes solitude.

"Batman," I greeted even though I know he probably already knows I'm here. "You wanted to talk to me?"

He doesn't look up from the screens, so I figure whatever he wants to talk about can be found on them. I step closer and squint at them as I take in the young unfamiliar faces I see.

"That's the new team right?" I ask, hoping to prod something out of him. He doesn't get to call me up here and then not answer my questions.

To my relief, Batman starts talking.

"A few months ago, the Team was formed. Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash infiltrated a Cadmus building and discovered a huge net of underground labs, and in one of them, they discovered something unexpected."

I listen silently as he explaining, knowing this must be something important. Batman isn't exactly the type to tell stories without some serious motive.

"A clone, made from Superman's DNA."

His calmly spoken words feel like a lightning bolt going through my body, and I take and instinctive step back. "Wait, what?" is all I can think to ask.

"The clone has the body of a sixteen year old boy, but in reality, he was grown in about sixteen weeks. So far, Clark refuses to acknowledge Superboy's existence."

For a long while, I don't say anything. A lot of emotions are coiling around inside me, the most prominent being anger, confusion and betrayal because he didn't tell me.

"I had no idea." I assure Batman. He nods, just barely.

"I assumed as much." He says, "Which is why I called you here. You need to speak to Clark. Make him see sense. The boy needs his father, but Clark refuses to accept that."

I feel anger win over, slowly but surely. "Oh, I'm gonna do more than that." I promise. "When can I meet him? The clone?"

Already, a plan – a stupid and reckless one, maybe – is forming in my mind. If my husband isn't going to take care of his clone – his son – then I damn well will. I'm going to meet the boy, get to know him. Let him know not everybody considers him unwanted.

Briefly, I feel bad for thinking about going behind Clark's back on this, but the emotion doesn't survive for long. If he feels it's okay to keep something as huge as this from me, then I will find it perfectly okay to seek the boy out without telling him first. I'm kind of pissed off as well, lending me the courage to do this.

Half an hour later, I'm standing in the kitchen of Mount Justice. Batman beamed me here, though I hardly need help anymore. I think it's more to keep up the pretense that I do not know the location of the hide out. Batman likes to pretend that I, as a civilian, despite my Justice League Mascot status am not privy to most of their secrets. I think it's the main reason he hasn't told me his secret identity yet. I know most of the Leaguers know.

Not that it bothers me – as I've already mentioned, I already know. That is my superpower: figuring out superheroes' secret identities.

Either way, half an hour later, I'm standing in the kitchen of the Cave, Batman looming behind me as if his presence will justify him letting me know about the place. In a way, Mount Justice really isn't much of a secret. Everybody knows where it is – people just don't know that it's inhabited by a bunch of teenage sidekicks – erh, I mean teenage heroes.

Lara is on my hip again after I spent almost ten minutes arguing with Flash over babysitting her. As much as I love the League, I'm not yet comfortable with leaving my babygirl with them when neither Clark no I are with her. She's too young for that.

She's kicking her legs furiously, trying to escape my grasp and go explore this new and exciting place. I keep her on my hip for now as I wordlessly study the young man in front me. He looks much more doubtful than I, his blue eyes a weird mix of really intense, confused and apprehensive.

"Hi." I say eventually.

He looks at the dark hero behind me for a split second before looking at me again. "Hi." He says back.

I'm startled for a second. His voice is not just similar to, but _completely identical_ to Clark's. I've seen pictures of Clark as a teenager, and this boy looks like he's taken straight out of those. He does not just look like Clark – he _is_ Clark. I can't see a single difference, except that Clark look much happier in the pictures than this tense boy before me.

I can spot confusion so clearly on his face that I finally take pity on the boy, sighing loudly. Without looking back at the caped crusader, I move Lara from my hip and shove her at Batman's chest. He seems to wrap his arms around her purely on instinct, and pointing a quick look over my shoulder, I almost bust out laughing at the uncomfortable look on the usually stoic man's face.

I turn my full attention onto Superboy, who is eyeing the small girl in the Dark Knight's grip. I'm pretty sure I spot a tiny glimmer of amusement pass over his face before he turns icy blue eyes back onto me. I take a few steps forwards, making sure to stay at a respectable distance, but also close enough that I do not seem as if I am keeping a deliberate distance from him out of animosity.

"I'm Georgia." I introduce myself. Pointing a finger behind me, I offer him a lopsided grin. "That's Lara."

"I'm Superboy." he says automatically, like it's a fact he's been told his whole life. Like it's his very essence.

I tilt my head. "Don't you have a real name?"

He regards me uncertainly before looking behind me, probably at Batman.

"You can trust her." the Batman's gravelly voice assures him. "Georgia works with the Justice League."

Connor looks at me again, brow furrowed further as he studies my frame. "I don't recognize you."

I smile again and laugh once. "Oh, I'm not a superhero. More of a secretary, really."

He nods in acceptance and then says, "I'm Connor."

A small smile slips onto my face again at the similarity between their names. "It's a nice name." I compliment, doing my absolute damnest to not get off on the wrong foot with this poor boy. If what Batman tells me is right, then he is in serious need of a parental figure. And if my idiot husband is not going to provide it, I certainly am.

He looks like he doesn't know what to do with my compliment, so I plow on.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here, seeking you out." I raise an eyebrow at him – an art I have finally mastered after years of practice and a bit of advice from Clark – as if daring him to contradict my obviously true statement.

"Yes." He responds shortly and I note he is not like Clark in that aspect – the boy of steel speaks in far shorter terms than the man.

"Batman told me about your.. situation." I admit. I'm stalling on telling him that I'm Superman's wife. Perhaps it's because I'm worried of his reaction. Perhaps it's because I've never told anyone of my association with Superman before, knowing that it could be potentially dangerous.

But I don't care. This boy, above anyone else, deserves to know. He thinks Superman is his only family – that his only family has rejected him. And I need him to know that he's wrong. He has me and Lara as well, if he wants us.

He frowns at me as if wondering what situation I'm referring to.

"I'm talking about your situation with Superman." I elaborate.

He looks defensive now, like he wants to ask how that's any of my business.

"I'm his wife." I blurt out, feeling the need to get it out as quickly as possible. "Lara is our daughter."

Behind me, Batman shifts uncomfortably. I argued with him for fifteen minutes in the Watchtower over how much I could tell Superboy. I stood fast and firmly told him that this was _my_ problem now, and so I would tell him as much as I see fit. He made me promise to at least not tell him Superman's real name. And I agreed, as long as I got to tell the boy anything else I'd find important.

Connor's eyes widen and he looks worried now. Perhaps he thinks I'm going to tell him to stay away from Superman. That the hero already has a family and doesn't need Superboy.

Before he gets to react to my statement, there are footsteps in the hall and Robin appears in the doorway, looking young and energetic as usual.

He analyzes the situation before him quickly and then smiles at me, clearly having guessed what this is about.

"Hey, Georgia." He greets.

Superboy turns to the much shorter boy, his thoughts clear on his face; You _knew?!_

I offer him a grin. "What's up, shorty?" I ruffle his hair once he gets close enough and he swats a hand at mine.

"One day I'm gonna be much taller than you, and you're going to _eat_ _your_ _words."_ He threatens. He looks at his mentor next, clearly fighting uproarious laughter at the sight of him holding a hyperactive, superpowered toddler in a blue, polkadotted dress and curly pigtails.

I look at Batman too and share a private grin with Robin before flicking my head at his mentor. The boy understands my meaning and approaches Batman, freeing him of his adorable burden.

Robin puts Lara on the floor and holds onto her hand as she starts to excitedly drag him along on slightly unsteady legs. Sometimes, she gets so excited she forgets she can't walk that well yet.

They disappear from the room and I finally turn back to Connor. Almost as soon as he's released from babysitter-duty, Batman leaves as well, the sound of the Zeta tube echoing in the Cave a moment later.

He looks questioning, and I shrug. "I've known Robin for four years now." I explain. "He helped Batman and I save Superman's life once."

Connor looks surprised, like he would have expected the scenario to be the other way around. I shortly explain the deal with the escaped prisoners and how I'd sorta dealt with our kidnappers while Clark was useless from the kryptonite.

"I – I didn't know he was married." Is all he can think to respond with.

I shrug. "We've only been married for three years – almost. It'll be three in a few months. Anyways, it's not common knowledge. I don't want to be publically associated with Superman – would be too dangerous."

He seems to understand, because he nods thoughtfully. At this point, I realize I probably need to explain why I'm _really_ here. I sense my sharing personal information has put him slightly more at ease – at least, he doesn't seem to think I'm here to tell him to back off.

"Do you like ice cream?" I ask next.

He frowns at me again and I begin to think it's his go-to face. "I've never tasted it." He admits, looking slightly embarrassed. I remember what Batman said about him being force-grown in a pod, how the supposedly sixteen year old boy before me is not even six months old in reality.

I smiled at him, hoping it comes across as reassuring and not amused at his expense. "Well, I know this really great ice cream shop in Metropolis and I was thinking – do you wanna go?"

I find myself holding my breath as I wait for his answer. I've extended an olive branch now, so to say. It's up to him now if he accepts it. Either way, I'm glad knowing I've done what I can to help this boy for now.

He looks almost vulnerable for a moment, and his voice is the softest I've heard it when he speaks next.

"I'd like that."

I beam at him, and a small smile flits across his own face, his body unwinding slightly from its tensing.

"Great! I'll just track down Robin and Lara, and we'll be on our way!"

He follows behind me at an unsure distance as we head further into Mount Justice. For a moment, I think he's wondering whether I'm allowed to walk about unattended by Batman, but he doesn't ask. I wonder if it's because he's afraid of offending me and thus ruin the chance of getting to know his father's family better, or if it's because he remembers Batman telling him that he can trust me.

We find Robin in the common room a few minutes later, with Lara propped up in his hip, looking mighty pleased at the attention he – or Lara, really – is getting from a green skinned female. I recognize her from a picture J'onn has showed me, and know this is his niece.

She is cooing happily at Lara, who giggles, showing off what few teeth she has, and grabs hold of the green finger tickling her chin. The girl lets out a surprised laughter when the toddler immediately puts the captured finger in her mouth.

"Lara," I say teasingly, gaining the attention of the three people in the room. "what have I said about drooling on other people?"

The green-skinned girl smiles at me as she discreetly wipes her finger off on her skirt.

"It's okay." She assures me as I pluck Lara from Robin's arms. She sticks a hand out. "I'm M'gann."

"Georgia," I shake her hand. "You're Martian Manhunter's niece."

"You know my uncle?"

I nod, my smile secretive. Batman said I could reveal my identity to Superboy. He didn't say anything about this girl, however, so I don't elaborate.

"Can I ask what you're doing here?" She asks cautiously, even though it's a perfectly fair question.

"Oh, I'm here to pick up Connor. We're going to Metropolis." I shoot a grin over my shoulder at the silent boy behind me.

M'gann looks at him next with a confused look, but before she can ask any more questions, I speak up again.

"Speaking of which, we need to get going if we want to get back before my husband gets off from work." Connor nods as I turn back to M'gann. "It was nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

We approach the Zeta tube and I plot in the destination, recalling the lesson Clark had given me on how to do so. I wave a hand at Robin and M'gann before walking through the tube, appearing in Metropolis a second later. Superboy arrives behind me and we turn the corner of the hidden alley, hitting upon a very busy street only about half a mile from the ice cream shop I had in mind. I regret not bringing a stroller with me for Lara, as the girl, with the added weight of her nursery bag, quickly gets to me.

"Connor, can you please carry this for me? My shoulder is starting to ache." I ask the silent boy politely. He accepts the nursery bag without a word and we keep walking in a silence I hope doesn't feel awkward for him. I'm not entirely sure what to say and my eyes keep darting around, hoping to find some sort of topic for conversation.

Soon, I start chatting about pointless things, keeping an excited and friendly look on my face in the hopes of making Connor loosen up a bit. He does after a while, but he's still very short in his answers. I wonder if, because he's only been alive for a few months, he's not quite used to conversations yet. A normally born child has years to learn speaking and conversing – they start out with small noises that eventually become words that then become sentences. But Connor, because he looks like a teenager, is expected to be able to converse like one, even though speech patterns and social ques can take years to learn.

I decide to not let it bother me that he's so short in his answers – it's not his fault.

Either way, the thought leaves my head as my eyes find the ice cream shop and I point at it happily. "This is the place I talked about!" I tell him. "C'mon. I'll even let you decide yourself how many scoops you want."

We enter the shop, and I can't help but wonder how the next hour is going to pan out.

* * *

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS AU! (u kno who u r)

Since you're the one person who's been nagging me the absolute most about posting this fic, I just knew I had to post it on your B-day. Aren't I good?

Anyways, this is only the first part and I know it lagged a whole lot in the Clark department. I sorta love that, the second he turns his back, Georgia is out doing shenanigans. I hope you like Lara - named after Clark's kryptonian mom.


	2. Family Relations Part 2

**Family Relations: Part 2**

* * *

At first, Connor looks slightly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people crammed into the relatively small shop, and I completely understand. I was surprised too, when I came here for the first time. But the place is knows at the best ice cream shop in all of Metropolis, so it's not really so weird. I just hope the line won't take forever. The good thing about this place is that it _knows_ it's popular, and so it actually makes an effort to be fast and effective when serving customers.

The wait in line doesn't feel long, thankfully, because I busy the both of us with explaining the different flavors and which combinations are good. Connor looks clueless, the frown on his face making me smile because I can now picture exactly what my husband would've looked like as an annoyed teenager. Being around Connor is a.. strange experience. I'm all too aware of how much he looks like Clark, and yet how different they come off. Sometimes, it's exactly like watching my husband – only slightly shorter – but then he frowns or tenses up in a way that doesn't resemble Superman at all, and I suddenly remember that even though they share the same DNA, the two of them are vastly different.

When we arrive at the front of the line, Connor still has no idea which flavors he should order, and it looks like it bothers him. Like he knows this is something a sixteen year old _should_ know. I hesitate for a moment, but then an idea enters my mind and I give him a reassuring smile before saying I'll take care of it.

"Two cones, one with three scoops and one with four." I tell the girl behind the counter, who smiles briefly at Lara before nodding at me and moving to prepare the first order. I get my usual: Strawberry, cookie dough and caramel.

Then, offering Connor a small smile and hoping this works, I place his order.

"One scoop of hazelnut syrup, one of salted caramel, one with pistachio and one with peach."

Connor looks oddly at me, but I just wink at him with a small shrug before accepting the two cones. We leave the shop shortly after and settle down at a table, thankfully equipped with a kiddie seat. I feed Lara ice cream with a spoon, to her utter delight, while keeping a close eye on Connor. He is unsure about the treat in the beginning, but after his first taste, his eyes seem to light up. The ice cream is gone in a matter of minutes.

"That was.. really good." He admits, giving me his first unguarded smile. I nod knowingly at him.

"I though it would be. It's Superman's favorite flavors too." I admit. It makes sense – if Connor really is a clone, then his taste preference should logically be the same as Clark's.

He looks surprised at the admittance before deflating slightly. "I wouldn't know." He mumbles and drops his hands into his lap, clenching his fists slightly. "He doesn't want anything to do with me."

My heart hurts for the poor boy and I reach across the table to clasp his shoulder in reassurance. I realize that this is the first truly informative thing he's said to me and I consider it progress. It's good that he already feels that he can trust me. "I know. I'm so sorry. I would've done something sooner, but I only found out about you this morning." I consider whether telling him that Clark has been keeping him a secret would be unkind, but I realize being honest with him might be the best thing to do. "Superman hasn't mentioned you at all. I think he's been keeping the knowledge from me because he knows I would want to meet you."

Connor looks up at me with hopeful and sad eyes. I can see that Superman's silence has hurt him. I offer him a reassuring smile.

"Look, Connor, I'm going to talk to my husband about this tonight. And I promise I'll do whatever I can to make him change his mind."

He nods once at me, his face serious. "I would really appreciate that." He admits. He sounds like he's trying to not get his hopes up, but also can't quite contain the feeling.

Once the ice creams are gone, we go for a walk. I'm not ready to let him go home yet, as I still feel I need to get to know him better. If everything goes as I want it to, I might very well be considered his mother at some point. Getting to know him before I make that decision is crucial. I take us to the nearest park and find a spot with a patch of soft looking grass, under the shade of a large oak. We settle down and I let Lara play by herself. Connor doesn't say anything, but I don't expect him to. When he sits down, it's with a straight back and perfectly crossed legs, as if, even while sitting down, he is a soldier awaiting orders, ready to spring into action at a second's notice.

Then again, Batman did tell me that Connor had been intended as a weapon. He was a soldier, trained to spring into action at a moment's notice. But not anymore. Now, he's a boy with friends and a future. He has a mind of his own. And I suspect he isn't entirely sure what to do with it yet.

Hopefully, if everything goes well tonight, he will also be a boy with a family. As I turn a smile at him and he stiffly tries to return it, I feel instinctual, motherly affection grow for him. He so desperately needs a family – it pours out of every line of his body. And I'm angry with Clark for not seeing it. Usually, he's too perceptive for his own good, but somehow, in this case, he has managed to be blind.

It frustrates me, but I know even someone like Superman is allowed their selfish and stupid moments. He's not perfect, despite what the Daily Planet likes to say. Then again, none of them live with him, so I suppose they wouldn't really know. They don't know that the Man of Steel is every bit as human as the rest of us, despite being an alien.

Lara crawls towards Connor and places her chubby baby hands on his knee, using it as leverage to get up higher. He looks uncertain, casting a glance towards me, as if fearing I will get angry and remove her, but I just smile encouragingly.

Part of me wonders if Lara has mistaken him for Clark, but I quickly cast aside the idea. She's a smart girl, and even though she can't really speak yet, she sees and processes much more than she lets on. It's more likely that she senses that he's sad, and wants to cheer him up.

"Go on," I encourage, a small smile pulling at my lips as Connor hesitantly puts the girl in his lap, looking unsure as she slaps a small hand on the front of his black t-shirt. "She's half kryptonian, so she's much more durable than your everyday toddler. You won't hurt her."

Lara giggles and grabs his arm, using it to rise on unsteady legs. She leans against his shoulder to not fall off and plays with his hair, small squeals of delight leaving her. Connor has a hand on her back to make sure she keeps her balance.

"See?" I smile at the two of them, happy that Lara seems to have accepted him right away. "You're a natural." Her instant draw to the teenager is a huge plus in my book. Lara is unusually good at judging people – one time, she refused to let a friend's boyfriend hold her, and later that week we found out that the boyfriend was abusive. Ever since then, I've allowed her to judge people for herself. I won't pressure her into being held by people if she doesn't want to. Not even Batman, who usually scares young kids, seems to intimidate her. As cheesy at it sounds, I get the feeling that my daughter sees and judges people by their heart and not their appearance.

Now, she seem at ease. In fact, she appears almost eager to gain and keep the attention of Connor. It's a good sign. It's rare that she comes across as downright eager to communicate with anyone. She's not shy, but she doesn't feel the need to put a lot of effort into meeting people. This time, however, she does exactly that.

I sit in silence and let the two 'siblings' get to know each other. For such a strong and serious boy, Connor is surprisingly gentle with the toddler. At some point, she gets bored of playing with his hair and makes to get down. He helps her, watching as she stumbles away on her short legs. He looks at me as if unsure whether she's allowed to run off like that.

"Don't worry." I say. "She likes to explore."

She only travels for a few feet before she comes back, grasping Connor's arm and tugging insistently.

"She wants you to join her." I explain.

Connor blinks at the small girl before getting up, accepting her offered hand. The two walk a slow round in the park, until Lara spots the simple playground. Then she shouts in delight and speeds up, dragging Connor to the swings.

I stay put underneath the large tree and watch the two of them. After a moment's hesitation, Connor lifts up the toddler and places her in the baby swing. Lara's hands slap against the front, her legs kicking furiously beneath her as she excitedly waits for him to start pushing. During their small walk, Connor has often looked at me as he silently asks for permission to do what Lara wants him to. Every time I respond with a smile and a thumbs up, and I do the same now. He slowly starts to move the swing and Lara lets out giggles immediately.

Biting into my bottom lip to suppress the smile that's threatening to split my face in two, I dig out my phone and snap a picture.

At some point, Lara's kicking gets a little too excited, and I hurry over before she has the chance to destroy the simple plastic swing. Usually, Lara, smart as she is, seems to be vaguely aware of her strength as an abnormality, and something she needs to control. But when she gets excited, she forgets herself. She's been known to ruin many of her toys. One of her ragdolls has stiches from the one time she ripped the leg clean off.

"I think we'd better get you down before you ruin this swing, isn't that right, sweetheart?" I tease her and she calms slightly and allows me to take her. I offer Connor a small smirk. "Super strong babies and breakable human objects. Doesn't always mix well."

He seems to understand. "I ripped a door off its hinges during my first week at the Cave." He blurts out, and then proceeds to look surprised that he'd spoken.

I keep in a small smile. My ability to gain the trust of superheroes is already working its magic. Clark's often said that he seriously thinks it might be a mind control thing that I'm unaware of. I know he's only kidding, but I don't mind considering my almost inhuman ability to connect with people far more powerful me, an actual super power. Being surrounded by super-powered beings near constantly can make me feel small from time to time, so it's fun to pretend that I also have a power.

My phone beep and I check it, finding a text from Diana. I decide to respond later, but as I look at the message, I notice the time as well. It's pretty late already. I need to get Lara home.

"Connor, it's been so nice to hang out with you. I promise we'll see you again soon, but we've gotta head home now."

He almost looks disappointed, so I offer to walk him back to the Zeta tube. I pass Lara to him and he holds her gently during the entire walk. Ten minutes later, we're saying out last goodbyes and I promise again that I'll talk to Clark tonight. He seems more hopeful than when I'd first promised it and it warms my heart.

As I walk home, I mull over how best to talk to Clark. I also consider Connor, now that I'm alone with my thoughts. (And Lara, obviously.)

He is a confused boy, but I sensed a lot of potential in him. With a guiding hand, he could become the sweetest young man this side of the galaxy. With the _wrong_ guidance.. well, I also sensed a lot of frustration and anger in him. He's too powerful to leave without the proper guidance. Clark can't just close his eyes, cover his ears and pretend the problem isn't there. Because there _is_ a problem. Or, at least, a problem can arise if we leave him to his own devices. Weed isn't going to stop growing just because you leave it alone – no, weed grows if you ignore it. It festers, the roots take proper hold, and it overpowers you.

With a sigh, I arrive home with Lara. It's late enough for me to start dinner – I'm trying out a casserole that needs to simmer for three hours – so I settle her on a blanket in the kitchen, with a small mountain of toys. She doesn't linger by the blanket for long, but she stays in the kitchen, so it's fine. Her mumbling that _almost_ resembles words comforts me as she digs through all the cupboards she can reach. She's making a mess, but I can clean it later. Right now, I just focus on dinner.

Clark will be home in a few hours, and then we have to talk. Already, I start to wonder how he'll react to what I have to say. I suspect he'll be displeased that I saw Connor on my own, but I tell myself I don't care. Clark might be the most powerful being on Earth, but that sure doesn't give him the right to boss me around.

* * *

When Clark comes home that night, I've had hours to prepare what I'm going to say. I've practiced it in my head over and over. He's home late, so I'm in the middle of preparing Lara for bed, sighing at my soaked clothes as I bathe her. I'm sitting next to the bathtub, keeping an eye on her and letting her play by herself, my thoughts only half there.

"Georgia? I'm home." He calls from the front hall. He sounds tired. Not physically, because he never is, but like his day has been a challenge. I feel sort of bad knowing that I'm about to make his night a challenge as well. But I steel myself, knowing that I can't let Connor down in an attempt to spare a fight with Clark.

I hope it doesn't come to that, though. I hate fighting with him more than anything.

"We're up here." I respond, not raising my voice as I know he can hear me. Lara has heard him too, but she's wrapped up in playing with her rubber duck in the sudsy water, and so she doesn't react more than slapping her hand excitedly at the water once. Of course, it splashes my way and soaks my shirt even more.

He comes in a moment later, loosening his tie and taking off his glasses, which he leaves on the sink.

"Hey," he greets, bending down to kiss me on the lips before stroking the wet hair off Lara's forehead to kiss her as well. Clark looks at me and laughs quietly when he sees the state of my clothes. "You look like you're having a good time."

I snort and roll my eyes. "Yeah, I was thinking of just getting in the water myself. I'll probably need a bath after this anyways."

"Mhm," Clark sits down on the floor next to me and kisses the back of my neck. "You could wait until Lara's put to bed and then we can take a bath together."

I smile at the suggestion, and even though I'm still sort of mad at him, I lean back into his chest and let him wrap his arms around me.

"I left dinner for you in the oven." I say instead of answering. "Let me just finish up here and I'll come down."

Maybe he can sense something in my tone, but Clark hesitates for a moment before leaving the bathroom. I can hear his footsteps on the stairs and I keep myself from sighing out-loud because I know his sharp ears would pick it up.

I finish Lara's bath and help her into pajamas before putting her to bed. It's been a long day and so, she's thankfully tired and falls asleep easily. I only read a quick story for her, which, though she presumably doesn't understand much of, she listens quietly to. I think it's more the sound of my voice than the story that holds her attention. For a while, she just studies me, sucking on her pacifier, but eventually her eyes slip shut and she relaxes. I mentally thank her – it's as if she knows I really want to talk to Clark, and so she doesn't fuss. I sit, gathering my thoughts for a while as I watch her sleeping form. A warm feeling originates in my heart and pools from my chest and all the way into my toes.

I love her so much. This girl is the most beautiful and wonderful thing I've ever created. _Helped_ create. I think briefly back to my pregnancy. I remember all the uncomfortable nights, all the nausea, all the haywire feelings. I remember giving birth to her – how painful it had been. All completely worth it. She would be worth walking on red hot coals for.

I close my eyes and remember this feeling of complete love. It's directed at both Lara and Clark. I latch onto this and tell myself that, no matter what happens tonight, he is still the love of my life, and this wonderful girl is still something we made together.

Feeling thus reassured, I make sure her night lamp is on, and then close the door behind me as I leave the room.

Clark is finishing up the dishes when I come downstairs. His back is to me, so he keeps drying the frying pan in his hands instead of acknowledging my presence.

"How was your day?" I ask, hovering by the door.

Clark sighs. "Long. Perry was in a bad mood."

I approach him and wrap my arms around him from behind, wishing I wouldn't have to make his day more shitty than it had already been. I can tell he's been excited to come home to his family after a bad day at the office, and now I'm going to ruin that too.

I tell myself to not care – this deal with Connor is more important. I inhale deeply, his scent calming me greatly, as always.

"I spoke with Batman today." I begin. My heart picks up speed and by the way he halts his movements, I know he has noticed.

"Oh?"

"He told me about Superboy." I shut my eyes and tighten my hold on him slightly, hating how he tenses immediately. Clark doesn't say anything. He just stands there like a statue, staring out the window. I know I have to continue, so I let go of him and take a step back. "I went and saw him, Clark. And he-he's such a wonderful kid. He was so gentle with Lara-"

"You let him _hold Lara?"_ Clark sounds torn between betrayal, disbelief and anger, but he finally turns to look at me. His eyes are blazing and I can see that he is well and truly mad.

"Yes – of course I did. They're practically sibli-"

"He's _not_ my son!" He exclaims loudly and I take a step back in surprise. Clark never raises his voice. Not in the three years we've been married and not in the time we dated before that.

I open and lose my mouth a few times as I try to get over the lightning in his eyes – I try to understand why the subject makes him so angry. In the end, instead of contradicting him, I take the argument somewhere else.

"How could you not tell me? About him?" I ask, keeping my voice low in an attempt to calm him and to not wake Lara. "You've known for months and you told me nothing."

Clark deflates and massages his furrowed brows. "Because I knew you would do this. I knew you would seek him out even though I don't want you to."

"Clark, he's made from your DNA. You can't pretend that he has nothing to do with you, that he isn't your responsibility."

"I didn't _ask_ for that responsibility. I never asked for another child." He protests.

"You didn't _ask_ for Jason either!" I shoot back sharply. "But you accepted him because he _is your son._ "

"That's completely different!" Clark protests. " _I_ created Jason with a woman I was in love with. He might've not been planned, but he was my responsibility because he was a result of my own, conscious actions. Superboy – he was made without my consent. Someone _stole_ my DNA and used it without my knowledge to create a weapon."

"A weapon who happens to be a real person." I step up to him, wringing my hands as I try to make him understand. "Clark, he's a real boy with real emotions and thoughts. He has powers like you – he's so powerful. Sure, he has the body of a sixteen year old, but he's still so new to this world. He needs a good influence – he needs more than what the Team can give him. He needs a family. He needs a dad that can help him figure out his powers and his place in the world."

Clark sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He steps around me and throws the dishtowel at the counter, making for the living room in his attempt to escape me.

"Clark!" I go after him because I'm far from done. "You have to listen to me! Connor is a sweet boy, but I sensed a great deal of anger brewing under the surface when I was with him today. You – _we_ – can't allow that anger to control him. He's powerful, and if he ends up turning that power against the world? Clark, _he could be dangerous."_ I catch up to him and reach up to hold his jaw carefully, looking into his eyes with earnest. "You can't let that happen to him. He _needs_ a family. He needs love and parenting and a normal life. It's our responsibility. I know it's not fair, I know we didn't ask for this. But it's happened. He's here, and now he needs us."

He finally meets my eyes, the blue orbs no longer angry, but still intense. I swallow and offer him a small smile. "When you first arrived, you were a baby with immense power. You were an alien. But Martha and Jonathan Kent still took you in and they gave you love and a moral compass. Their compassion and acceptance made you the great, wonderful man and hero you are today. Are you really telling me you wouldn't extend the same favor now?" I ask with a soft voice, stroking his cheekbone.

He closes his eyes and reaches up to cover my hand. His other arm wraps around my hip and pulls me close as he bends down to place his forehead against mine. I exhale as I feel the stress leaving my body, allowing myself to relax in his hold.

"You're right. Of course you're right – as always." He breathes. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

I smile and peck him on the lips. "It's okay. I understand."

"I was afraid – this is just another weird crap situation that's been spawned from me not being normal. And I didn't want to bring you into it." He admits, sighing deeply. "The truth is, the League is still unsure what to do with him – we can't know if he's safe to be around. Superboy was created by the enemy and grown in a pod, where they fed him information. Who knows what they've programmed into him? He could be acting all this time. You say that he could become dangerous if he doesn't receive the proper care.. but the truth is that he might _already_ be dangerous. He might have programming he's not even aware of. Orders he's subconsciously carrying out. Or consciously. We don't know. And I couldn't bear the thought of you and Lara getting hurt because of him."

I smile softly at him, glad we finally reached the core of the matter. As usual, Clark has been spurred on by his fierce need to protect his family. I could never fault him for that, and I won't do so now.

"Clark.. I _do_ understand. But we'll be okay. I truly believe he is his own person, and I truly believe the only right thing to do is to accept him into this family. I'm ready to take on that responsibility.. Are you?"

He tugs a tuft of hair behind my ear and reaches down to kiss me. I instinctively respond, grabbing hold of his tie to drag him closer.

"I'll give it a try." He relents. "Just promise that we'll take it slow, okay? He's not moving in next week."

"I promise I won't start decorating his room until next month." I nod, smirking slightly. "Maybe we should start simple. Invite him over for dinner or something. Oh, and maybe telling him your actual name would be a good idea, just so you won't have to dine in your superman suit."

He rolls his eyes at me and kisses me again. "I'll think about it. You need to promise me something, however." He fixes me with a stern look and I stand at attention. "If I give this a chance and I can feel that it's not working out, you have to respect it."

"That's fair." I shrug. "As long as you promise to give this an honest to god chance. Don't say 'hi' once and decide it's not going to work because he didn't respond the 'right way'."

"Hey, I've been called a lot of things in my life, but I'm sure nobody has ever accused me of being petty and unreasonable." He says, and I'm reminded of his usual generous and embracing nature.

"Never." I assure him. "So when will you talk to him?"

"I promise I'll approach him before the end of the week. I don't have any scheduled League meetings. So I have some free time after work." He smirks lightly at me. "However, I _was_ hoping to use some of that time to ask this really pretty woman out. She's been flirting with me a lot lately, so I figured I might have a shot."

"Oh?" I waggle my eyebrows at him, "You sure you haven't misread the signs?"

"Nah, I think it's a done deal." His eyes dance as he speaks. "There's one snag: She already has a child. So we'll need a babysitter."

"She probably has a best friend of some sort. Or some parents who can watch the kid."

He nods seriously. "Perfect. Good thinking. Now which restaurant do you think she'd prefer? Italian, Greek or American?"

"Does the American one serve burgers?"

"The best in town, from what I've heard."

"Definitely American. She's been craving a good burger for days now."

He swoops down and pecks my lips. "Friday, I'll pick you up after work."

I fake gasp. "Oh my god, you've been talking about _me_ this whole time?" I act scandalized. "Good sir, I'm a _married_ woman!"

He rolls his eyes at me, but plays along. "I've already cleared it with your husband. He's going to be there too."

"Ouch. You really want to third wheel on my date with my husband? _Awkward_."

"Shut up," he laughs lightly and pecks my lips again. My heart feels all fuzzy again, same as it did when I had watched Lara earlier. I relish the fact that he still has this effect on me.

I reach up to kiss him again, simply because I feel so relieved. The conversation about Connor had actually gone better than I had imagined. I try to stop myself from picturing where we'll go from here. I have laid the responsibility onto Clark's shoulders, and he's promised to seek out Connor. Now, all I can do is let him do so at his own pace.

Clark sighs into the kiss and pulls me closer by the hip, running gentle fingers along my spine, from top to bottom. I feel excitement spark low in my belly. Pulling back, I rest my forehead against his.

"So, about that bath.." I whisper suggestively, waggling my eyebrows again.

"I'm on it." Clark swoops me up with a grin, kisses me thoroughly one more time, and carries me up the stairs

* * *

Yo! Hey guys! I know, it's totally crazy that I updated this thing, right?

This chapter is dedicated to my friend who is currently in the hopsital and whom I know has been waiting for the continuation of this story forever. I hope this cheered you up a bit!


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